Happily Ever After
by Wabi Sabi
Summary: A happy sad story about the love relationship between Sakura & Tomoyo (hey, they're cousins, so stop looking at me like that!) :p R & R, please!


DISCLAIMER: CCS belongs to CLAMP, the poem below is the work of Francine Pucillo. PLEASE DON'T SUE ME!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
f-teardrops: Enjoy...though it really might have been better... .;;;;;; Please don't get mad at me!  
  
Jamie: *sniff* T-this fic is b-based on the CCS m-manga!  
  
Lydia: It's our first "poem-fic"!  
  
~*~  
  
In my mind the child I see  
  
Mirror shines reflectively  
  
Youth goes by so swift I know  
  
Child within forever shows  
  
~*~  
  
She had broken her promise. But she was too confused, too sad, to care.  
  
Sakura stood alone, against the cherry blossom trees of her old elementary school. It was late spring, and the petals were falling like rain onto the soft green grass. The sky was blue, not marred by a single cloud in its clarity, and the school building stood white and peaceful on the morn. How long ago had she once been here, at this very school, getting ready for the races? She had caught the Flower Card on that day, Sakura recalled. Syaoran was there, she remembered, and Meiling, still in love with him back then. And of course, there had been Tomoyo. She had sprained her ankle that day, so couldn't race, but she had been more than happy at the chance to videotape her "sweet Sakura-chan".  
  
Six years had passed since then.  
  
Sakura was now undisputed Mistress of the Sakura Cards, and in her 3rd year of high school. Syaoran had returned from China to protect her from any danger she might face---and, he had admitted, any new suitors that might try to take her away from him. Sakura had laughed at that and promised him that nobody would be able to love her as much as she loved him.  
  
How wrong she had been.  
  
~*~  
  
I know my mirror does not lie  
  
But in my heart I must get by  
  
Youth in life is always there  
  
Worn or broken I don't care  
  
~*~  
  
She had forgotten someone, of course, and that was Tomoyo. She was always forgetting things lately, without her friend to help remind her. Or perhaps it was due to the fact that she couldn't stop thinking of her. [Her...] Sakura felt something wet on her face, and brushed it away absent-mindedly. "Tomoyo-chan," Sakura whispered. "W-why did you have to leave us? Leave me?" It had been Tomoyo, her best and closest friend, that had stood by her all these years, long before Syaoran had appeared. Sakura considered her to be one of her closest friends, but even she did not guess how close Tomoyo wished for them to become. She recalled back to those six years, and faintly remembered the Sports Day their school had hosted...  
  
~Flashback~  
  
Tomoyo: I really like you a lot, Sakura-chan!  
  
Sakura: Me too!  
  
Tomoyo: For sure...Sakura is thinking of a different meaning of like...  
  
Sakura: Did you say something?  
  
Tomoyo: Mmm...I'll tell you when you grow up a little more. So let's go!  
  
Sakura: Huh? Um, okay!  
  
~End flashback~  
  
Sakura sighed. "Tomoyo..." she whispered. "If I had thought a little bit more about what you had said, then maybe you might have..." She trailed off as her vision blurred. Soon, Sakura was sobbing against the tree.  
  
~*~  
  
I am the same ~ I'll always be  
  
Full of life just slow you see  
  
Doesn't matter honestly  
  
My spirit moves me constantly  
  
~*~  
  
[I don't understand...] Sakura thought to herself in frustration. [This isn't fair! Why did she have to suffer, of all people? Tomoyo was so sweet, so kind...]  
  
"Sakura-chan?" Syaoran's voice rang out softly against her grief.  
  
"S-Syaoran-kun?" Sakura gasped, wiping away her tears. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"I was looking for you," Syaoran said slowly. "When you didn't come, I knew that something was wrong. I've been searching all over for you, and now I've finally found you." He approached her. "Are you alright, Sakura-chan?"  
  
Sakura wiped away her tears, but they wouldn't stop flowing. "I-I'll be fine, Syaoran. Just leave me alone for a little bit."  
  
"Are you sure?" Syaoran asked her doubtfully. "Sakura-chan, this afternoon you told me to give you some time by yourself, and the next thing I knew, you were gone."  
  
"Oh." Sakura bit her lip. "I didn't mean to leave you like that, Syaoran..."  
  
"I don't think you were," Syaoran said softly as he placed his hands on her shoulders. "I think you were trying to leave Tomoyo-chan, ne?"  
  
"T-Tomoyo-chan?" Sakura tried to hold back the gasp, to no avail.  
  
"We promised to visit her everyday," Syaoran said softly. "But you didn't come with me today."  
  
Sakura shook Syaoran off. "It's been four months, Syaoran," she said rather roughly. "I don't think it matters anymore. She-she's gone."  
  
"Maybe in body," Syaoran agreed. "But not in spirit. Let's go." He held out his hand.  
  
"N-no!" Sakura sobbed, pulling away. "I-I can't!"  
  
"Why not?" Syaoran asked her gently.  
  
Sakura stopped trying to hold back her tearful eyes. "I-I just can't alright? I don't think she wants to see me, after all I did to her..."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Syaoran asked quizzically.  
  
Sakura wiped away her tears. "S-she loved me," she finally choked out. "All t-this time, and I-I never knew...s-she must have been h-heartbroken to see us t-together..."  
  
Syaoran softened, and patted Sakura on the back. He said nothing as Sakura fell into an embrace, hugging him with all her life and sobbing. "Don't cry, Sakura," he said softly.  
  
"H-how can't I? I broke her heart!" Sakura sniffled. "T-Tomoyo-chan never t- told me about her f-feelings! And I was t-too dumb to guess!"  
  
Syaoran stroked Sakura's hair tenderly, like a mother to her child. "I think I know how you feel," he said slowly. "But think of Tomoyo-chan. She would hate to know that she was hurting you like this."  
  
"Then why couldn't she have lived?" Sakura said fiercely.  
  
"We can't change the past, Sakura," Syaoran said slowly. "And we couldn't stop Tomoyo-chan from dying. I doubt if even the Sakura Cards could have helped her."  
  
After a few more minutes of crying, Sakura finally quieted down. "Do you think she hates me for not loving her back?" she asked softly.  
  
"No," Syaoran said firmly. "Tomoyo-chan would never have hated you. She loved you too much to do that."  
  
"I-I know," Sakura sighed sadly. "And that's why it hurts even more, now that she's gone. I miss her so much!"  
  
"Then why don't we go tell her?" Syaoran said slowly. "She's waiting for us, right now, atop that hill."  
  
Sakura smiled faintly. "Okay," she nodded.  
  
~*~  
  
Time it goes so swiftly by  
  
Never waste your time or cry  
  
Beauty there can't disappear  
  
It's in the heart of love you wear  
  
~*~  
  
The hill was of a bright green under spring's cheery sunlight, surrounded by floating sakura blossom petals. It was a peaceful place, sheltered from the city and surrounded on all sides by beauty and serenity. In her hands, Sakura held a bouquet of violets, cherry blossoms, and magnolias. By her side, Syaoran stood, a little wreath in his hands. Ahead and beneath them, on the ground, was a small silver headstone.  
  
Tomoyo Daidouji  
  
Born: September 3rd  
  
Died: January 25th  
  
A loving daughter and a caring friend.  
  
She will be dearly missed.  
  
Syaoran placed the wreath on the headstone, and looked over at Sakura. "Do you want to..." he asked her.  
  
Sakura nodded. "Yes please, Syaoran-kun. I'll be there in a minute," she smiled. Syaoran nodded, and politely strolled out of sight.  
  
When he was nowhere to be seen, Sakura spoke again. "Hello, Tomoyo-chan," she said softly. "I'm here to visit you again, just like I promised." Sakura paused for a moment. "Well, I guess you want to know why we came later than usual, ne?" She gave a bright smile. "I'm sorry about that, Tomoyo-chan. But I missed you so much...and I was afraid that you were angry with me. But of course you aren't, right, Tomoyo-chan? You could never be angry with anybody at all. And you could never hurt anyone, either." She sank to her knees in front of the grave. "That's why you didn't tell me, did you? You were afraid you would hurt me? But you wouldn't have, Tomoyo-chan. I-I love you too." Sakura paused, and waited for a reply.  
  
All that reached her ears was the faint whoosh of the breeze as it carried the sakura petals around and around.  
  
Sakura seemed disappointed, but smiled again. "I-I miss you so much, Tomoyo- chan...I wish you were still here... I know you wouldn't want me to be unhappy, Tomoyo-chan, and I'm glad you feel that way. But I want to know if you were ever unhappy? Did you hate me for loving Syaoran-kun instead of you?" Tears began to fall again from her face, and were brushed away by the wind. Sakura squeezed her eyes tight, trying to stop the drops, but in vain. "I never meant to hurt you, Tomoyo-chan. Do you know? I never did...  
  
I'll always be happy when you're happy, Sakura-chan.  
  
Sakura looked up in surprise. "Tomoyo-chan?" she cried. "Is that you?"  
  
I'll always be with you---as long as you remember me.  
  
"I'll never forget you, Tomoyo-chan!" Sakura cried, doubt vanishing from her heart. She dropped the flowers on the headstone and standing up. "I can hear you! Come out! Please! I want to see you again, Tomoyo-chan!"  
  
Ashiteru, Sakura-chan...everything will be fine.  
  
"Tomoyo-chan!" Sakura thought she heard the voice coming from the left, and ran towards it. "Tomoyo-chan! Come back to me, please?"  
  
Daijobu desu, Sakura-chan.  
  
"Tomoyo-chan..." Sakura looked around frantically. She had circled the whole cemetery, but Tomoyo was nowhere to be seen. "Where are you?" she sobbed.  
  
I'm right here...where I'll always stay with you...in your heart.  
  
"My...heart?" Sakura echoed, and placed her hands on her chest. The steady beating gave away nothing.  
  
Hai...  
  
"Tomoyo-chan..." Sakura said slowly, her eyes brightened. "Wakarimashita! I really do!" Smiling, she breathed in the fresh air of the spring afternoon and spun around for joy. "Arigato gozaimasu, Tomoyo-chan!"  
  
Do itashimashite...  
  
"Sakura-chan! There you are!" the voice of Syaoran cried as he raced up the hill. "Where have you been? What are you doing up here?" Sakura turned to face him, eyes sparkling. Syaoran stared in surprise. Those emerald eyes had regained their light and were shining even brighter than before. "Sakura-chan?" he asked hesitatingly.  
  
"Syaoran-kun!" Sakura said happily, and wrapped her arms around him. Laughing, she gave him a kiss on his cheek.  
  
Syaoran instantly turned red. "Sakura-chan...I don't understand...how?"  
  
"That's okay," Sakura smiled. "Tomoyo-chan helped me. Come on! Let's go to my house!"  
  
"Ano..." Syaoran blinked in confusion as Sakura pulled him along. His features suddenly lit up in a smile. "I'm glad you're happy, Sakura-chan." He whispered to himself.  
  
[Tomoyo-chan,] Sakura thought cheerfully. [Iroiro arigato...]  
  
Iie, Sakura-chan, Tomoyo replied. I should thank you---for making my life so beautiful.  
  
As the two figures ran back home, the casual observer may have noticed, on closer inspection, a faint outline of a third little girl following behind them...  
  
~*~  
  
You look divine ~ you always do  
  
I see that little child in you  
  
Running down the road again  
  
Holding hands like we did then.  
  
~*~  
  
f-teardrops: This fic was inspired by the manga pic of Tomoyo holding hands with Sakura after Tomoyo promised her that she was tell Sakura how she felt about her when they were older...and by the poem...^_^ ( To see it in its natural environment, with midi, red background, grannies and all, please go here: )  
  
Jamie: *sniff, sobs*  
  
Lydia: Cheer up, Jamie!  
  
Jamie: I-I can't! The song is too s-sad! BOOHOOHOOHOO!  
  
f-teardrops: *pats Jamie on the back* There, there...  
  
~The End~  
  
--Glossary of Japanese Terms-  
  
Ashiteru ~ I love you  
  
Ano/Anou ~ Um  
  
Arigato gozaimasu ~ Thank you very much  
  
-chan ~ Suffix, used after a the name of a girl you know closely  
  
Daijobu desu ~ It's okay  
  
Do itashimashite ~ You're welcome  
  
Hai ~ Yes  
  
Iie ~ No  
  
Iroiro arigato ~ Thanks for everything  
  
-kun ~ Same use as -chan, except for a boy instead of a girl  
  
Manga ~ Japanese comic books---usually around 200 pages long! ^_^  
  
Ne ~ Right (Ex: You know what I mean, right?)  
  
Wakarimashita ~ I understand  
  
~Japanese is so cool, ne?~ 


End file.
